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Working out on a cruise + Royal Caribbean body composition analysis

Obviously a huge part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is exercise—something I haven’t talked much about on this blog until now. I’ll post more about my exercise routine in the future, but basically I try to get in two days of strength training and two days of cardio every week. I recently joined a gym that’s only about 5 minutes away from my apartment, which makes staying fit way easier. I tried the whole home exercise/run outside/P90X thing, but I found that a gym membership is really what I need in order to stay on top of my fitness.

Keeping up with my workout routine on vacation is pretty tough, and I admit that I often neglect all forms of exercise when I’m away from home. Before our cruise, though, I realized that the Spendour of the Seas fitness center might be my best friend during a week of delicious (and decadent) meals, so I made sure to pack my workout clothes.

We did a TON of walking on this trip, which helped offset our nightly 4-course dinners. However, I really didn’t want to fall behind in my weight training while we were gone. Luckily the Splendour of the Seas fitness center was decently equipped, and I got 3 or 4 short workouts in over the course of our cruise without too much hassle.

Royal Caribbean offer a number of spa and fitness services and while most seemed to target older women or were a bit out of my price range. However, the body composition and metabolic analysis ($25 on special) caught my attention. I had a body comp analysis done back in Alabama when I had a personal trainer, and I think it’s a great way to track fitness progress. So I made an appointment for our “at sea” day to see what I could find out.

The body composition analysis lasted about 10 minutes and involved a series of sensors attached to my right hand and foot. I’m guessing that it’s not as accurate as a BodPod, but I realize now how spoiled I was with all of the top-quality fitness equipment at the University of Alabama! My results were better than I expected, even if I’m still working to raise my BMR (basic metabolic rate), or the amount of calories my body burns on its own each day without any activity factored in.

While the trainer I was with was really nice, I’m afraid that the rest of the appointment was pretty disappointing. I was hoping for some more personal advice about my workout program or my nutrition, but instead I got a half-hour sales pitch for detox pills, which my results clearly showed I didn’t need at all! Royal Caribbean is known for its sneaky sales pitches, and I guess I should have been prepared for that. If I go on another Royal Caribbean cruise, I’ll definitely avoid all of these spa/wellness consultations.

Obviously did NOT know this was being taken…

I loved the Splendour of the Seas fitness center, but not so much the services. How do you keep fit when you’re away from home?

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Healthy living in Paris

Since moving to France (and being surrounded by baguettes!), I've tried to find a balance between healthy eating and discovering French gastronomy. With this blog, I hope to share some easy, healthy recipes as well as my more indulgent culinary experiences. Bon appétit!